Crappie USA Inc., “America’s Premier National Crappie Fishing Tournament Organization” will hold a qualifying event on Old Hickory Lake at Gallatin, Tn., on March 21. Anglers will be fishing for a seven-fish limit of crappie, which could net them a check along with the opportunity to advance to the Cabela’s Crappie USA Classic, the most prestigious event in crappie fishing today. This year's classic will be held Oct. 7-10, on Indiana's Patoka Lake at Jasper, In.
Registration and Seminar
A pre-tournament seminar will be held on Friday evening at the Gallatin Civic Center in Gallatin. Sign up will begin at 5 p.m. with the meeting and a National Sponsor Field Test Product Drawing starting at 7 p.m. local time. This seminar is open to the public. For those not fishing the event, we encourage you to come out to this meeting and meet the top crappie anglers in the region. Crappie USA offers more than just an event for the top anglers in the region and nation. The Amateur Division offers a chance for local and new up and coming anglers the opportunity to fish on a competitive level at half the cost of the Semi-Pro entry fee.
The Weigh In Site
The tournament weigh-in will be held on Saturday the 21st at Flippers Bait & Tackle, 200 Odom's Bend Road, Gallatin beginning at 3 p.m. This is the perfect opportunity for non-competitors to come and learn how the big ones are caught. Interviews of the top five teams will be conducted after the weigh in.
Sponsor and Host Lodging Site
The Sumner County CVB would like to welcome all Crappie USA anglers and their guest to the area and hope they take the opportunity to enjoy the many attractions in the area. For more information on the area call: 888 301 7866 or 615 230 8474 or visit their website at www.sumnercvb.com. Host lodging for the event will be the Quality Inn, 1001 Village Green Crossing in Gallatin. For reservations phone 615 451 4494. Rooms are limited so make your reservations early and mention Crappie USA.
How to Enter
You can enter our tournaments by filling out and sending in an entry form or by registering on our website at www.crappieusa.com before the deadline listed on the form. Teams may also enter at the pre-tournament seminar on Friday night. All late entries will be subject to a $20 late fee.
ACA membership is required to fish in our tournaments and a space is provided on our entry form for you to become a member. Teams may consist of one or two partners. Teams may have a third partner if third partner is under the age of 16. Pole limits for three-partner teams will be the same as two-partner teams.
Entry fees in all qualifying tournaments are $100 per team in the Amateur Division and $200 in the Semi-Pro Division. There is an optional $10 (Per Team) Big Fish Pot. All participants must be a member of the American Crappie Association to fish in these events. American Crappie Association membership is $25 for adults and $10 for spouse and youth memberships. Each membership will include a subscription to the official publication of Crappie USA, one of the top crappie fishing publications in the nation.
Crappie USA “Free Crappie Kids Rodeo”
Held in conjunction with the tournament will be the Crappie Kids Fishing Rodeo to be heldSaturday morning at Flippers Bait & Tackle, 200 Odom's Bend Rd., Gallatin. Sign up for the Kids Rodeo will be at 8 a.m. with the rodeo from 9-11 a.m. The Crappie USA Kids Fishing Rodeo is a chance for children of the area to get out and enjoy nature, do a little fishing and win some prizes. The event is free to all children 12 and under with all participants eligible for a chance to win one of the six, Crappie USA $1,000 scholarships to be awarded at the Cabela’s Crappie USA Classic.
Crappie USA and our anglers have contributed nearly $322,000.00 to the “Crappie Kids” Scholarships since 1997. We are very proud to be a part of the education process for the youngsters who participate in our tournaments as adult/youth teams and those who fish in the Crappie USA “Kids Fishing Rodeos”.
The Crappie Kids Free Fishing Rodeo has grown in many cities to be a major attraction drawing as many as 350 or more children from surrounding areas to compete for prizes and the chance at the $2,000 “Crappie Kids” Scholarship. All participating children must be accompanied by an adult.
National Sponsors of Crappie USA:
Cabela’s, Ranger Boats, Mercury Marine, B ‘n’ M Poles, Minn Kota Trolling Motors, Talon Shallow Water Anchors, Mustad Hooks, Humminbird Electronics, Adventure Products EGO Nets, J.R. Mad’s Fish Breading, Charlie Brewer’s Slider Co., Big Bite Baits, TTI-Blakemore Road Runner, Driftmaster Rod Holders, Keep Alive-Oxygen Infusor, Cumberland Crappie (Double Seats), Southern Pro Tackle, Grizzly Coolers, World Fishing Network-WFN, GAMMA LINE, Stubby Steve's Baits, Church Tackle Planner Boards, Crappie Now Online Magazine, RIGRAP and Smooth Move Seats.
For more information, call Crappie USA Inc. at 270 395-4204. Please visit the website at www.crappieusa.com.